Sunderland AFC is delighted to announce David Bruce’s appointment as Chief Business Officer.
After assuming the position of Chief Brand and Commercial Officer since July 2023, Bruce will now transition into a new role and assume overall leadership of the Club’s business operation from 01 June 2024.
His appointment forms part of a wider restructuring within the business operation, which aims to establish greater levels of leadership and ensure a renewed commitment to fan centricity can be fully embraced throughout the Club.
Wearside-born, Bruce returned to the North East nine months ago following an immensely successful 11-year tenure with Major League Soccer, during which he undertook the roles of Senior Vice President of Brand & Integrated Marketing and Chief Marketing Officer.
Bruce led MLS’ brand evolution as the league entered a new era on the global stage, and he was part of the leadership team that introduced 13 new Clubs to the league, created a new global broadcast relationship with Apple TV, and helped launch Lionel Messi’s arrival in the US.
A graduate of Northumbria University and the University of Oregon’s Warsaw Sports MBA programme, he also built and developed multiple new brands for MLS.
These included eMLS, Leagues Cup, MLS NEXT and MLS GO, which doubled fan growth, increased commercial revenues, and provided fans with new ways to follow the sport.
During his first season on Wearside, Bruce secured long-term agreements with hummel and Fanatics, which will commence ahead of the 2024-25 season and set the tone for a new commitment that places fans at the core of the Club’s actions.
Bruce commented: “It is an enormous privilege to be stepping into this role. Sunderland is my team, and I am honoured to be given the opportunity to be part of a leadership team that I hope will achieve great things on and off the field. Not only is the city changing dramatically, but the Football Club that reflects it and its people are also embarking on a period of transformation and growth. In Sunderland, there is an obsession that can’t be replicated – this is a unique and special club. I’m excited to build on the strong foundations established by our ownership group throughout the past three years and shape a Club that that we can all be proud of.”
Kyril Louis-Dreyfus added: "David is one of the most progressive and innovative thinkers in sports business and we are delighted with the impact he has made since his arrival nine months ago. He has built a reputation around fan centric thinking and engagement that is centred around creating memorable experiences for fans, and his time at MLS was a period of unprecedented growth. David’s appetite for this Football Club and love of the area make him a perfect candidate to lead our business and I look forward to supporting him in his new role.”